Shloka 8

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

ये चान्ये योगिनां योगाः श्रूयन्ते ग्रन्थविस्तरे / सर्वे ते ब्रह्मयोगस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्

Transliteration

ye cānye yogināṃ yogāḥ śrūyante granthavistare / sarve te brahmayogasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm

Translation

诸经广说的种种瑜伽之法，皆不足与“梵瑜伽（Brahma-yoga）”相比，连十六分之一也不及。

Word by Word

• ye: which (those)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• anye: other
• anye: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying yogāḥ)

• yoginām: of yogins
• yoginām: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• yogāḥ: yogas
• yogāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• śrūyante: are heard of
• śrūyante: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘are heard/are spoken of’

• granthavistare: in the extensive treatise
• granthavistare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grantha + vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘ग्रन्थस्य विस्तरे’ = in the extensive treatise)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying yogāḥ)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• brahmayogasya: of the Brahma-yoga
• brahmayogasya: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘ब्रह्मणः योगः’)

• kalām: a part/fraction
• kalām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• arhanti: deserve
• arhanti: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘are worthy/deserve’

• ṣoḍaśīm: sixteenth
• ṣoḍaśīm: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (ordinal/fractional: ‘sixteenth’)—qualifying kalām

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching Indradyumna and the sages (Ishvara Gita discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Yoga
• Yogins
• Ishvara (implied as the Supreme taught by Kurma)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By ranking all other yogic systems as inferior to Brahma-yoga, the verse implies that direct realization of Brahman/Atman is the highest aim, surpassing merely auxiliary or partial spiritual attainments.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights Brahma-yoga—yoga oriented to Brahman-realization—as the apex practice; it frames other yogas described across scriptures as supportive or comparatively limited when not culminating in direct knowledge and realization of the Supreme.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Spoken by Lord Kurma within the Ishvara Gita’s synthetic theology, it points to one Supreme Reality (Ishvara/Brahman) as the goal of yoga—supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava integration rather than a rivalry of deities.